A New Beginning
by Brooklyn1994
Summary: This is vampire/human. Every vampire character is present minus Bella. I wanted to try to create what I think Edward would do if Bella had died. This is my first fanfic. Be nice!
1. School? Okay, I will try

Days fly by when you don't feel like living. When you sit somewhere on something for long periods of time your butt eventually falls asleep. Then every other body part until you're a tingling mass of numbness sitting there, breathing in and out, well I technically don't need to breath. Nor can I tingle, but it's the thought. I am a vampire.

My name is Edward Cullen. I am 136 years old this month. Bella, my love, has been dead for 20 years. She was killed by a nomad vampire while on a camping trip. The monster had no reason. We thought he would be a new friend when he walked up to us while we were sitting around the fire in our campsite. We had Jake and Nessie along so we had to camp. The monster had pretended that he was a loner and that he just wanted to converse with some people for once and when he smelled us he came running. He supposedly had been down in Antarctica for a while and was traveling up to Canada. I immediately went on the defensive, but Bella told me to chill (as she called it). I of course listened.

A few days later, Nessie and Jake were sleeping and Bella was thirsty. She wanted to go hunt quickly and I had to stay and watch over Jake and Nessie although they didn't need protection I still had to. The monster had gone with her (I had stupidly developed trust for him) and they never came back. I went out looking for them after a few hours and about 100 miles away I found a pile of ashes and a note. It was a note from the monster addressed to me. It read:

I am sorry I had to do this to you.

I was ordered to do this, by someone

I cannot name. Find me and kill me for what I have done,

and there will be consequences. If you do, my coven will find your

Family and rip them all to pieces. I promise you that.

No one else has to be hurt, Just Bella. I am sorry I cannot specify exactly why.

Best Regards, Jonathan Meyer Rubertz

I had gone insane from anger and grief, but I never went after the bastard. It took me a good 5 years to calm down.

12 years ago Rosalie and Emmet moved to Egypt to live with another clan. Rose and I had been fighting a lot after Bella's death. We got into some huge fights and Emmet decided to move Rose and him. Rose just didn't and still doesn't understand the amount of pain I am in. I loved Bella more than my own self, more than any person, object, or… okay just anything. She always thought I was being melodramatic. Alice and Jasper still live with us, but they are hardly home. Alice was struck with an insane amount of grief when Bella died as well and she spends her time at fashion shows and shopping more than anything. She checks in with us every month or so. As for Nessie, her and Jake have been married for about 15 years now. Nessie calls me every once in a while, but her and Jake have adopted a son and they are kept quite busy.

"Edward!!!" said Esme. She didn't actually say it, but thought it quite loudly, more so than absolutely necessary.

"Yes, Esme. What do you need?" I asked in a monotone voice. I was still sitting in the middle of the huge gold bed in my room while Esme tapped her foot in annoyance downstairs in the kitchen.

"I want you to stop meditating in that bed upstairs. All you do is sit up there. Please Edward, come down stairs. Carlisle and I need to speak to you," thought Esme. I sighed to myself and cracked open my eyes. I had been sitting on this bed, on the side Bella usually slept, for a full month now. That may seem like a long time for a human, but for a vampire it feels like a day or so.

"Coming," I mumbled with annoyance as I hopped off the bed onto the floor silently. I walked across the smooth plush carpeting and reached for the door handle. I wrenched open the door with more force than normal and it completely fell off. Wood splinters lay on the carpet while I held the door in my hand. I sighed and set the door on the floor and headed down the hallway. I ran down the stairs, across the living-room, and into the kitchen. All of this had just happened in a mere few seconds.

"We are starting to worry about you, Edward," thought Carlisle when I walked through the doorway that lead into the kitchen.

"Why? I promised Bella I would not go to the Volturi under any circumstances. I informed you guys that I would not be who I used to anymore. That is because my whole existence died 20 years ago," I sunk to the floor with a new wave of grief washing over me. Esme was at my side in a moment. She picked me up off the floor and pulled me into a fierce hug.

"Edward, we all miss Bella with all of our hearts. There is not one day that I do not think about her. She was the best person in the whole world. I know you are hurting really badly, but I think you need to start living life again. Please Edward?" Esme asked with an amazing amount of emotion in her voice. I sighed heavily into her shoulder and released her from the hug and stood on my own. I looked and both, Carlisle's and Esme's faces, I saw pain. I know me moping around doesn't help them, but I just can't be normal. I don't even play piano anymore. I took that and put it in Bella's cottage house. I just couldn't look at it anymore. All of Bella's belongings are stored there. I haven't been to the cottage since the day Bella died.

"I will try; maybe I will go to school again. No one should remember me. Everyone I knew graduated with Bella and I and I think they are long gone out of Forks. Do you think anyone would notice?"I asked Carlisle with general curiosity.

"No son, it has been a long time. I checked recently and all of your teachers have either moved or died. I also destroyed all of your past records with the school so you will be able to start as a freshman this year," said Carlisle with enthusiasm.


	2. Bella My Love

After I was done talking through the details of me starting school in a few days, I decided I wanted to go and get something to eat or drink rather. When I am hunting, my instincts take over and as soon as I clear this river I will give myself over to them.

Before jumping the river, I take a long look at the things around me. The first thing I do is take a deep breath in through my nose. I smell fresh fall air, the fish swimming in the water, a deer running away about a hundred yards out, and many other things. I open my eyes to see the leaves quaintly falling from their tree to the ground. Slowly, wonderfully, amazingly. It has been a while since I have actually taken the time to look around me. To see the beauty of the world. To watch the water slowly flowing in the river. It's all so beautiful. I stare at the river for a moment and remember Bella.

_She was so beautiful. So unsure of herself and her new found abilities. I watched the way the sun slightly made her skin sparkle and the playful smile that I hoped would be etched on her lips for all eternity. Bella ran with such grace. Her feet hit the ground with precision and bounced off of it as if it were a trampoline of some sort. She looked at me with a sparkle in her scarlet colored eyes. I looked at her new face. She looked like the old Bella. This woman was so heart wrenchingly beautiful as if it would kill me to peel my eyes away. I watched every time she blinked one of her beautiful eyelashes and breathed in an unnecessary breath. I breathed and took in her scent. I loved the way it made me feel. It didn't pain me anymore. It was new, but only a little different from her human scent. _

_As we both neared the egde of the river Bella stopped and I stopped as well._

"_Are we swimming?" she asked with curiosity. I stifled a giggle._

"_And ruin your pretty dress? No. We're jumping," I answered. She pursed her lips and considered. _

"_You first," she finally answered with a playful smile. I reached over and touched her cheek to reassure her. Then I took two steps back, paused, and launched myself into a run. I noticed a rock on the riverbank and used that to propel myself clear across the river in an arch and for effect I turned a somersault in the air before landing silently on the ground. _

"_Show-off," I heard her mutter and I laughed aloud. I stood waiting for her to join me. _

_After close to a minute I called out walking towards the river "Bella? Do you want to watch again?"_

_A few seconds after I asked I heard her approaching from the air, but she was going way past me. She jumped twice as far as I did. I heard her delighted laughter and ran toward it to find her. _

"_Was that good?" she asked me with excitement. _

I shook my head to come back to the present. It was not a good idea to reminisce because now there was pain shooting from my non-existent heart. My knees gave out and I crumbled to the ground. My eyes were aching with the tears I could not spill. I lay there and let the pain engulf my body, my being. It felt as though tiny little monsters were crawling around me and stabbing me with pain everywhere they could. I just missed Bella so much. I would never be able to hold her in my arms again and kiss her. I wouldn't be able to smooth the worry lines out of her face with a gentle stroke of my hand. I could not make love to her to show her how much I love her without words. What I miss the most is her playful smile. I love Bella so much.

After a while I gathered enough strength to get off the ground. As I stood wiping the bracken from my clothing, I saw the river again. I couldn't look at it for long so I jumped as far as I could. In a few seconds I was a little more than three hundred yards away from it. As I stood in place I gave myself over to my instincts. I felt the ground through my feet and smelled the air with my nose. I tasted it really. And there it was, the faint scent of deer about a mile away. I took off running at my highest speed which was faster than normal vampires could run. I am the fastest I have ever known of.

After thirty seconds, I made it to a clearing. I froze and dropped into a crouch and scanned my surroundings. Thirteen deer were scattered out in front of me and a few were about ten yards away hidden by the trees. I chose the biggest deer. I stared it down and concentrated on the vain in its neck, pulsing the sweet but bitter tasting animal blood. It tamed my hunger, but never fully satisfied me.

I crouched lower to the ground tensing my muscles, feeling the raw strength fighting to be released. I pounced and landed on the deer's back and quickly snapped its neck between my capable hands to keep it from suffering. I laid it on the ground and kneeled to begin feeding. I stretched my neck down and with my razor sharp teeth I bit through the thick layer of fur and began to lightly suck. I felt the thick warm blood enter my mouth and I swallowed quickly. The fire in my throat was raging and I suckled a little more fiercely in the hurry to tame it.

I was soon done with my first deer and continued on to the next. I sniffed the air and sensed the closest one running away from me. It was about two hundred yards away. I quickly took off after it.


	3. Nessie

**A/N: Sorry my chapters have been so short, but I am new at all of this. LOL. REVIEW!!!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of this. BLAHHH!!!**

Tomorrow is my first day of school in twenty years. I shouldn't be nervous right? Wrong. If I could I would probably be hyperventilating. I don't really have to go through with this, but for Esme and Carlisle's sake I will. It won't be so bad since Alice called last night to check up and I guilted her into coming back to go to school with me. She thought it would be a great idea for me, but that she didn't want to…

_RING!!! Screamed my cell across the room. I was sitting on my bed again and didn't feel like getting up, but I did anyway. _

"_Hello Alice," I said in an affectionate voice. Although Alice had her annoying parts she still was a great person and I missed her very much. _

"_Hey Edward, how on earth have you been?" she asked while snickering._

"_As if you don't know," I said, laughing a little adding volume to the silence that was my room._

"_I am glad you aren't meditating anymore, I was afraid you would start to get milky eyes and look all old-," I cut her off there._

"_Alice! I wasn't going to sit there until I petrified myself," I snickered. _

"_Oh whatever," she drawled out whatever, but then continued "How are you about the whole going back to school thing?" _

"_I don't know, I think it would be easier if I had a little sister and a big brother to go to school with again. I mean, maybe we could get Rose and Emmet to come back from Egypt. We could have the Cullen Clan all back together again…" I suggested with a little whininess in my voice. _

"_Oh no! Edward-" her voiced paused for a second. I could tell over the phone that she was having one of her "Special Visions". _

"_Ah crap…" she finally answered. _

"_Of what crap are you speaking?" I asked innocently, knowing I had won. _

"_Okay, Edward. We have a deal, but on a few conditions," she stated._

"_There are always conditions aren't there?" I asked._

_She ignored my question "One, you have to buy me a new car. I am driving around in a Mercedes and I hate the damn thing. Two, I get to take you clothes shopping. Three, you get a new car too," _

_I sighed. I had been driving around Bella's car for twenty years now. I had sold my Volvo after her death. _

"_Fine Alice, I agree. I do have some conditions of my own though," I said in a playful tone. _

"_What are they?" she asked with a huff._

"_One, you have to leave me alone on the days I want to sulk in my room. Two, try to stay out of my business at school," I stated._

"_Fine, I will see you in a few hours. Then we will go car and clothes shopping," she said as the line went dead. _

I sighed as I remembered. Ha. That had been a few days ago. Now it was the day before school starts. I have a closet packed full of new "In Style" clothes (Alice made me…) and a garage filled with four new cars. One for me, Alice and Jasper, Carlisle and Esme, and another just for fun. Our little shopping trip cost about a million dollars, but that's fine. My family and I have a lot of money.

I got off my bed and looked out the window. All I saw was a cloudy rainy sky and trees. I turned and left my room to go look for Alice. I ran Vampire speed down stairs and almost fell backwards. There, standing in the middle of my own living room stood Rose and Emmet.

"EDWARD!!!!" yelled Emmet as he grabbed me up into a back breaking hug.

"EMMMMEEETTTTTTTT!!!" I yelled equally as loud. I hadn't seen my younger brother or Rose in more than twelve years. They both looked exactly the same as I remembered and my memory never fails. I smiled brightly at him as he released me. I gave Rose a quick hug as well. She actually responded. I read her mind and she said she had missed me a lot. Weird…

"Man! How have you been?" I asked both him and Rosalie still with a huge smile on my face.

"Great. Rose and I liked living in Egypt, but we just missed you all so much. When Alice called the other day practically ordering us to come back I couldn't resist," Emmet said all this so fast the human ear wouldn't have been able to hear it.

"Yeah, when Emmet asked me if I wanted to go home I didn't hesitate. We packed our stuff and left," as Rose said that Alice, Jasper, Esme, and Carlisle all entered the room with huge smiles on their faces.

I watched as all the hugs were given out.

"Oh man! I missed everyone!" Esme practically screamed with happiness because her whole family was back together… minus one person. My face contorted with pain at her words and everyone looked at me at once.

"Edward…" Esme walked over to me and gave me a huge hug and everyone else did too, even Rose, which surprised me. We had a big family hug. Awww.

"Oh! I am going to call Nessie and Jake and get them to come over!" I exclaimed as my moment of depression wore off. I grabbed my cell out of my pocket and dialed her number.

"Hey…" Nessie said as she answered the phone after the second ring. I could tell she wasn't thrilled to be talking to me. I haven't called her in a very long while. She used to call, but she gave up. It was just a few weeks ago when I was still deep in my depression. I haven't seen her in ten years or so. It was too hard because she resembles her mom so much. She has the same brown eyes, lips, nose, and everything. Every time I saw her I would crumble into a lump of pain and pretty soon she refused to see me. Again, it may seem long to you, but for Vampires time doesn't mean the same thing.

"Hello Nessie, I was wondering if you, Jake, and Luke could all come over. Your aunts and uncles are all here to stay and they want to see you!" I said with excitement.

"Um, okay, but dad will you be okay with it? I mean we haven't seen each other in a little over a decade…" she said with emotion in her face. I could tell tears were falling from her eyes.

"I will be fine, love. Just come over. We will see what happens," I said to her, excitement still welling in my stomach.

"Okay! Oh wait, Jake wants to talk to you quick. I am going to get Luke ready to come over," she said.

"Alright," I said as I waited for Jake's voice to come onto the phone.

"Ed, I know this will be hard for you, but please keep the melt downs to a zero. I don't think Nessie could handle something like that. It would hurt her too much. Please, I beg of you," Jake said. I hadn't heard his voice for a long while and he was still the same person as I remembered. Sarcastic… but able to express emotion as he just had. I knew he was serious.

"No problem, Jay. I think I can really do this. I mean, I have woken up. I still miss Bella so…" I trailed off as emotion made me bite my tongue.

"We all do man, she was my best friend and Nessie's mother. There isn't a day that goes by that we don't talk about Bella. She was one of the best people in the world and there won't ever be another like her, ever," he said.

"Okay, thanks Jay. I will see you when you get here then," I said. If you are wondering why I call Jake, Jay, and why he calls me Ed, back fifteen years ago he called me that to get on my nerves and I called him Jay back and well it stuck. Although it doesn't annoy either one of us anymore.

"Sure sure, be there in ten, Ed," Jake said as he hung up the phone. I clicked my cell shut and look at all the expectant faces. They of course had heard the whole conversation, but were pretending not to have.

"They will be here in ten minutes-" I started to say, but was cut off by Alice. She is sure getting back to her old self.

"YES! Okay, Esme and Rose! Let's cook them all supper. Emmet and Jasper you guys set up the video games for Luke" she said as she motioned to the stack of brand new top of the line video games and computers. "Carlisle and Edward, please get the cards set up. You know Jake. He likes his poker," she giggled and skipped into the kitchen pulling Esme by the wrist while Rose followed obediently. Esme gave us a helpless smile before she was dragged the rest of the way into the kitchen. The remainder of us looked at each other and smiled. Then we got to work.

Carlisle and I headed up to the attic as Jasper and Emmet started opening boxes.

We ran up the stairs and I grabbed hold of the door handle leading into the place where all the junk is stored that we keep to entertain different sorts of guests. I smiled to myself as I saw the home theater system and screen stacked in a corner. That was for Bella's father, Charlie. He died about seven years ago of a massive heart attack. Sue, his wife, is still alive, but she never comes over.

I walked over to the corner where we kept the Nessie and Jake stuff. There was of course a poker table and mounds of boxes of poker chips and cards. There was also a piano for Nessie. I had stored my grand piano in the cottage, but this one was especially for Nessie. It has her name inscribed on the lid of it and it was signed, "To my daughter Nessie. I will love you forever. Love Your Mother, Bella Marie Cullen,"

I looked at the piano for a few seconds and then I felt a familiar hand on my shoulder.

"Son, you don't have to look at it. Lets just grab the poker table and go…" Carlisle suggested in a small voice.

"No, I want to bring it down and play for Nessie. She deserves it. I have been a horrible father for a lot of years and Bella would be really pissed off at me. I will play again, for my daughter," I stated in a tone that Carlisle would not argue with.

I picked up the five hundred pound piano easily and carried it down stairs and set it where my grand piano used to sit. After all these years Esme had kept that spot open for me. I smiled as I went about tuning it.

Carlisle was about ten feet away setting up the cards and chairs while Emmet and Jasper were sampling one of the new video game systems I bought a few days ago. I have never met anyone faster at setting up electronics than those two. They even brought out the garbage from it all too. I smiled again as I heard Esme speaking in a motherly tone to Alice.

"We are not going to cook them a gourmet meal. You know how Nessie is about people doting on her. She hates it," Esme said sternly. I heard Alice huff and say,

"Damn it all, she is so much like her mother," I laughed and nodded in agreement with her.

It had taken my whole family all of ten minutes to prepare for Nessie, Jake, and Luke's arrival, although Esme, Rose, and Alice were still cooking. I smiled once again as I sensed two familiar minds and one a little new come into the three mile radius. What I mean by that is I can only hear people's minds from about three miles out. Here's what they were thinking.

Jake- "Shit, I forgot my wallet. I know those Cullen's are bound to challenge me to a game of poker. I will have to ask Nessie. She brought her purse,"

Nessie- "I hope dad will be okay seeing me…"

Luke- He was thinking nothing in particular besides the fact that he was excited to meet the family he has never met. He knows about us being Vampires though. Which is good.

A few minutes later a knock came at the door. My stomach was left where I was once standing as I rushed to get the door.


	4. The Piano

**A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long. I haven't been getting any reviews so it disheartened me, but I couldn't help but to continue on with this story. I believe it is off to a good start. The first few chapters were kind of crap, but I think you all will enjoy the heck out of this one.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anyone, but Luke. I made him up!!! Lol. ;-)**

I stopped when my hand was touching the door handle. I took a deep, unnecessary, breath and pulled open the door with gusto. There, standing straight up, with her husband and child at her sides was my beautiful Renesmee. I froze for a quarter of a second as I looked at her. She had the same beautiful, intelligent, brown eyes, brown hair with a tint of red, and she was… just… beautiful. Just like my Bella.

"Dad-"started Renesmee before I cut her off with a breath taking hug. I breathed in her familiar scent and relished in the fact that I was, right at this second, holding the most important thing in my life. I suddenly grew angry with myself for ignoring her for ten years. After a full minute I released Nessie and stepped back. I glanced at Jake and couldn't fight the urge. I grabbed him up into a quick manly hug.

"Ed! I love you too man, but you don't need to squish my lungs!" Jake said with a huge smile on his face.

"Ha-ha. Sorry man, I thought you would enjoy a hug from your father-in-law!" I said honking with laughter.

"Eh. Ed don't talk about yourself that way. You look way too young to be my father-in-law," Jake said with a smile. I just laughed and looked at Renesmee and Jake for a few seconds and then heard a mind say,

"Hmm, Grandpa Cullen does look really young! Whoa! I am supposed to call him Grandpa? No way is that going to happen, man. Whoa, everyone is staring at me…" thought Luke smugly. I smiled at the young man who had to be around thirteen years old. He was already six foot two inches. He had pale white skin, bright blue eyes, and Jet black hair. Luke was built muscularly for being only thirteen.

"Hello, Luke. As you well know I am your grandfather, Edward, although I would much prefer for you to call me Edward or Ed because I look way to young for a kid your age to be calling me Grandpa," I smiled and laughed heartily as Luke made a relieved face. I wondered if Nessie informed him that I could read minds…

"This is your family," I said as I gestured my arm toward the bunch of Vampires that were still staring, as if they were going to miss something.

"Hi, I am your aunt Alice," Alice said as she danced her way across the room and gave Luke a huge hug. He looked surprised after Alice let go and she walked back across the room to stand at Jasper's side.

"I am Uncle Jasper," Jasper said with a wave of his hand and a nod of his head. Luke nodded back.

"Yo yiggidy yo dog! Word! They call me E-Dog on the streets," Emmet said with a fake gangster wannabe voice. Luke looked incredulous at Emmet and Emmet busted into loud guffaws of laughter.

"Just kidding with you man!" Emmet laughed again, but then finished "My name is Emmet and I would be your coolest uncle," Emmet said and made a peace sign by his chest, kissed it, and gestured towards Luke. I laughed along. Luke still looked surprised, but a smile was fighting its way onto his face.

"I am Rosalie and I would be another Aunt of yours," Rose said with a genuine smile.

"You already now Carlisle and I, so I guess introductions are all set. Who is ready to watch them eat before we break off and start the party!" Esme said with enthusiasm while all Cullens raised their hands, including me, and Nessie and Luke turned beat red. Jake just smiled and pulled them both towards the kitchen. When Nessie walked by me I reached out and touched her shoulder. When she looked back I gestured with a finger for her to follow me. She had never gotten to see the piano her mother had special ordered her before she died. Bella was planning on giving it to Nessie for her birthday, but had never gotten that far…

I pulled her across the living room towards the piano made of ebony wood. Nessie cautiously followed and I could feel her eyes boring into the back of my neck.

"Dad, did you buy another piano? I mean, what happened to the other one? The big black one?" she asked as I reached the piano with her only a few feet behind me.

"The black one is in your mother's cottage. This one is for you," I said in a small voice.

"For me? What do you mean? Why did you buy me a piano?" she asked with curiosity falling from her words.

"This is not from me, Nessie. It is from your mother. She bought it for you a week or so before she died, for your birthday. I apologize for not presenting it to you before this-"I said before she cut me off.

"Mom, bought me this? This? And you didn't show it to me?" she asked quietly and I could sense the anger in her voice and her mind.

"Nessie, I am so sorry! I knew you would be angry. I just couldn't bring myself to before, but I am getting better. I promise I will never keep anything like this from you ever again!" I apologized as I stood three feet from her.

"Dad…It's okay. I guess you are giving it to me now so that is what counts. Just how… could you?" she said as tears sprang to her eyes when she ran her hand over the inscription that read:

"To my daughter, Nessie. I will love you forever. Love, Your Mother, Bella Marie Cullen…"

When the tears spilled onto her cheeks I pulled her in for a close hug. She buried her face into my shoulder and cried. My eyes ached with the tears I could not release. I lay my face on the top of her head and just simply held her until she had control once again.

"I just miss her so much…" Nessie said. Her words were muffled by my shoulder in which her face was pressed.

"I miss her too, Nessie. Bella was my everything. A while ago I was trying to make myself forget her. I tried so damn hard and it depressed me. All I thought about was Bella. I didn't want to live life without her. To know I would never hold her. It would have killed me if it could of. I sat on our bed for days on her side and let the pain of my loss consume me. I woke up a few days ago though. I realized that what I was doing was not only hurting me, but the rest of my family as well. I can't believe I was so selfish. I refused to see you just because it hurt me, but I never thought of how you felt. Your own father pushing you away. I am so sorry, Nessie. There is no way I will ever be able to make up for those days where I should have been the one consoling you. For that, I sincerely apologize with all my being," I said as Nessie pulled out of the hug to look at my face.

"Dad, I'm sorry too. I should have helped you get through it. Maybe I should have told you what I do when I miss mom so much that I can't breathe or do anything. Not even Jake holding me takes the pain away most days," she said as she looked at me, tears still falling from her face.

"Nessie don't apologize to me, ever, but tell me. What do you do?" I asked as I took both my thumbs and wiped the tears from my crying daughter's face.

"I run," she said simply before pulling me into another hug. Then she let go and sat down at the piano. She reached for my hand. I froze as my vision was cut off and instead I was seeing myself. I was sitting at my grand piano playing Bella's lullaby. I was smiling hugely as Bella sat down beside me and kissed me.

The vision cut off when Renesmee loosened her grip on my hand and started to play. She played Bella's lullaby with acute precision. Nessie played it exactly as I had done years ago. After a few measures of the song she gestured for me to sit down by her. I did immediately. She stopped playing and pulled my hands so they rested on the keys. I knew she wanted me to play. So I kissed her on the forehead and started to play for the first time in about twenty years.

Nessie got up from the bench and moved from the room and left to go into the kitchen. She soon appeared again with the whole family. Her face was still tear streaked. Jake held her rubbing her back. Carlisle held Esme, Jasper held Alice, Emmet held Rose, Luke had his arms crossed on his chest standing next to Nessie and Jake, and they were all smiling. My whole family.

As Bella's Lullaby ended I transitioned into another song. Esme's song. Esme smiled even huger and the whole family just watched in amazement. They were all thinking the same thing almost.

"He is getting better. Edward is getting better!"

Luke was thinking something totally different.

"Man, Ed sure can play!"

I smiled back at them as my fingers flew over the keys. For a moment I felt as though Bella was sitting next to me with her arm wrapped around me and just before the sensation passed I felt as though I was just kissed on the cheek. I knew then this was exactly what Bella wanted. I kept on smiling.

I finished the song with a flourish of keys and stood up. I started towards the kitchen and walked through the door past everyone and they just looked at me a moment before following me into the dining room. We all sat down at the table while Nessie (although she really doesn't care much for human food), Jake, and Luke all headed to fill their plates. Before leaving the room to go into the kitchen Luke looked back at me and smiled.

"Mom has been trying to teach me to play for years. I never wanted to, but now I think I will let her teach me. I want to be as good as you someday, Ed," Luke said in a clear voice and then he left the room for a moment to get food.

I glanced at the remainder of my family and they were all looking at me. I smiled once again at them and they back at me.

The moment was soon over when Jake came in with his mouth already full of food.

"Do you guys have any normal soda? Not stuff imported from God Damn Indonesia?" he mumbled with humor that was audible and a mouth still filled with food.

"Of course Jay, we always send Alice to Wal-Mart to get you some "Normal" soda. She hates it of course. I thought that's what you would want… it should be near the back of the fridge on the third shelf" I said with a serious tone before I and everyone else burst into laughter besides Alice. Alice scowled at me before she too started to laugh.


	5. Getting to know Luke

I kissed Nessie on the forehead as she walked out of the door. I gave Jake a quick hug and shook Luke's hand (I didn't want to freak him out or anything).

"Bye, Dad. I love you so much. I'll call you tomorrow," Nessie said as she descended the steps that took her closer to her car.

"See ya, Ed," Jake said in a friendly tone as he followed Nessie down the steps. Luke was about to follow but then paused. With his back to me, he spoke in a soft tone.

"My dad always said you were a nice guy, Ed. He was right, but there is something off here. I can't tell what it is, but this is all too good to be true. We are all too happy," Luke said and headed after his mother and daughter.

I refrained from reading his mind, but I could tell from the sound of his voice he didn't say all that he meant to. Luke wasn't a normal boy. I could tell that much. Although, when I analyzed his scent, he was totally human. I suddenly had that feeling too, that something was amiss. Something isn't right. I have to find out what though. What is it that is wrong?…

I opened my eyes at 6:30am the next morning. I had spent the whole night trying to figure out what could possibly be amiss, but I came up with nothing. I shrugged my shoulders in silent defeat. I promised myself that I would think about it later.

Now, I have to go to school. It's Monday morning and I am due at there in an hour. School is absolutely boring. It holds no interest for me because I have attended it so many times. If I wanted to, I could easily recount every lecture I had ever listened to, but lucky for the person that would have to listen, recounting something like that held my interest as much as 2+2 does.

I hopped out of bed and sped over to my closet. I sighed when I saw my new wardrobe. I had no clue where to even start. My too big closet was lined with new t-shirts, pants, and well… pretty much anything anyone could think of.

After about 30 seconds I had rifled through my clothes and decided on a pale baby blue polo shirt and a pair of khaki shorts. I laced my $309.99 Jordan Collezione 21/2 shoes up in a half second. I ran to the other side of my room and grabbed my backpack with all of my folders, books, and notebooks that I would need. I swiped my cell phone from my bedside table and was ready for school. All in the matter of two minutes. I still had 57 minutes and 30.9 seconds left until school started.

I walked through the door of my room (I had just fixed it a few days ago) and was startled to see Rose leaned back against the hallway wall outside of her and Emmet's room. I read her mind and all she was thinking was about was reciting the National Anthem in about fifty different languages.

"Rose, what's going on? You and Alice always recite languages when you don't want me to know what you are supposed to be thinking," I stated in a voice rising with frustration.

"Oh, I am just a little nervous about school and all. I mean, what if someone recognizes us? That would be nothing short of a huge disaster," Rose said in a monotonous voice. I knew she was lying, but I couldn't tell what about. I was getting the same feeling from her that I got from Luke last night. I headed down the stairs toward the living room. I resolved not to press Rose any further. I just didn't have the strength to argue with anyone.

I was surprised to see Luke sprawled out over the couch. His head was rested on one arm and his feet were dangling off the other side. I couldn't believe how tall Luke was. If he didn't have blue eyes, and light skin then I would insist that he was Jake's son by blood.

"Hey Ed, what's up?" Luke asked. He wasn't looking at me but at our seventy inch TV holding a play-station 3 remote in his hands. I wonder how he knew I was there without looking. I had come in the room silently. I remember that I used to do that to Bella all the time. I would walk into the room she was in without announcing myself. When she was human it always scared the crap out of her.

I laughed, "Oh nothing, just getting ready to go to school. Shouldn't you be doing the same?"

"Yeah, I probably should. I get to go to school with you guys this year," Luke glanced at me out of the corner of his eye- probably gauging my reaction.

"Oh. Well that should be…quite interesting, but I have a question," I stated in a mater-of-fact tone. After a few seconds, Luke nodded, ever so slightly. I took it as a "shoot".

"Well, why aren't you going to school on the reservation?" I asked in a curious voice. Why wouldn't Nessie and Jake send him there?

"Seriously Ed, look at me," Luke paused the game and stood up, crossing the room towards me in a few steps. "I'm totally bleached white, I have blonde hair, and blue eyes. Do you honestly think that I would fit into an Indian based High School?" His voice was strained. I was curious and couldn't help reading his mind. Luke was remembering an instance where a few young Quileute boys were making fun of Luke and pushing him around. Then one of the bigger boys put his face in Luke's and said…

"Why don't you go back to Forks where you and your pale ass mother belong?" and after the boy said that Luke had ran home, straight into his room, and cried the rest of the night. From reading his mind, I concluded that Luke was a very sensitive child and for some reason kids always picked on him.

"I guess that makes sense… Oh, and what did you mean last night about something being off? It has honestly been bothering me all night," I asked, suddenly very curious once his mind went blank. It was almost like a protective shield.

"Oh, that. Well…," Luke's face showed that he was struggling for words. I waited for him to continue.

"I suppose I can try to explain this without you thinking I'm crazy, you do read people's minds," he smiled before continuing. So he did know about that…

"I don't know how, but sometimes I get these feelings. Like something in the future is going to happen and it's going to screw up everything. I've only got these feelings twice in my life. One, right before my parents died and now, but that's not the end of it," he paused for a second.

"I can also tell when something good is going to happen, I got one of those feelings right before Mom and Dad came to the shelter to adopt me," Luke finished talking and looked at me.

"Hmm, sounds interesting. Maybe your gift will develop one day, into a more strong sense…" I mused.

"Well, Mom told me that before Bella was changed you couldn't read her mind, but when she was, her gift was magnified," Luke stated.

"Yes, that's true," I said, knowing exactly where this conversation was going.

"I haven't told Mom or Dad yet, but when I graduate high school, I want to be changed too," he said.

"We will see what Nessie and Jake say, but I can almost tell you the exact answer you will be getting from your father. Nessie may go for it, but not Jake. You see, your father may act… civilized towards vampires, but that fact of the matter is that we are the reason he is what he is. His species, if you may, has and always will hold a grudge against our kind," I gestured to myself. I was secretly trying to talk Luke out of his decision. I would not let him damn himself too.

"The only reason that I want to be changed is that I don't want to get all crippled and ancient while my whole family doesn't age one bit," he answered with venom in his voice. I read his mind once more and saw another memory of his.

Luke was younger, about eight I guessed, and the memory was set in a woods. I guessed the woods located on the reservation. He was trying to run and keep up with a reddish brown wolf, Jake, and Nessie. "Wait Mommy!" he cried. Nessie stopped in her tracks. "Sorry Luke, I'm not used to running with young ones," she had smiled.

As I refocused, Luke started to speak.

"See, I never want to be left behind when you go hunting, or unable to run as fast, to play sports as well or to be as smart. Do you know what it feels like to be left behind when your mom and dad go hunting and insist that it's too dangerous for you to come?" Luke said as he walked back across the room and plopped back on the couch. I saw pain in his almost blank expression.

"Oh I see, but my point is that sometimes we vampires wish we were human. We can't live in sunny and warm places, or enjoy greasy cheese burgers. Vampires can consume one thing and live in one place," I said, my voice light.

"Well you aren't going to change my mind," Luke said with a stubborn edge to his voice. He crossed his arms and I could tell the conversation was over. I sighed audibly.

"I guess we should probably get going to school. Do you want to ride with me?" I asked.

Luke looked up, smiled, and got off the couch.

"Definitely," he said with enthusiasm. His bad mood gone.


End file.
